According to a report at the meeting, HCMC Department of Transport said that implementation of underground parking projects in the center of HCMC in the past time has remained stalled, these projects are not attractive enough to investors due to some reasons including: procedure barriers; large investment capital, low ability of capital recovery due to low parking fees, etc.

At the meeting, representatives of two investors said they have sent documents to HCMC People’s Committee to withdraw from the projects including:”Construction of underground parking lots and public facilities at Hoa Lu Stadium” and “Construction of underground parking lot at a football stadium of Tao Dan cultural Park”. The reason for their withdrawal is capital difficulty.

In a conclusion, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tin requested HCMC Department of Transport to coordinate with related departments and agencies to study preferential policy framework of tax, credit, land use money and fee rate for investors. This framework will be sent to HCMC People’s Committee for consideration in advance and then submitted to HCMC People’s Council and the Government. After approved, this framework will be a basis for HCMC to call for investment of underground parking lots.

Mr. Tin said Nguyen Hue, Dong Khoi Streets and a part of Le Loi and Ham Nghi Streets will be a land for shopping areas and pedestrian. So, HCMC will not build underground parking lot in Nguyen Hue Street as previously planned.

After completing project of upgrading Nguyen Hue Street as a walking area, HCMC will not completely ban but still allow transport means to pass this area at specific times. Although the city has completed planning of construction of 4 underground parking lots to meet parking demands of people when they come to shopping centers, entertainment areas, etc, but these projects are still not implemented.

At this time, in order to meet the parking demand of people, Mr. Tin requested HCMC Department of Transport to coordinate with relevant departments and agencies and People’s Committee of District 1 to survey practical situation of available parking lots at shopping and walking areas to propose areas of constructing public parking lots to HCMC for consideration.

HCM CityWeb